Spoil Your Pup and Protect the Environment

Whether you've recently added a new four-legged member to your family, or just want to treat your existing pet right, there are plenty of affordable products and supplies for your furry friend that will make everyone happy, including Mother Nature.

Start with the fun stuff: toys! Don't spend a fortune on plush new chew toys your dog's powerful jaws could demolish in a few days. Shop yard sales and thrift stores for used rubber dolls or balls and stuffed animals that pooch will enjoy just as much as if they were brand new. When you do buy new, choose toys like those from West Paw's Zogoflex line that are tough, pliable, non-toxic and designed to be recyclable. An added bonus: they're dishwasher safe.

Also, check out West Paw's inexpensiveEco Bones, which are made of 85 percent re- engineered recycled IntelliLoft fibers that offer Fido a strong, squeaky and eco-friendly way to exercise his jaws while saving you money on the real bones you might otherwise buy every week.

Hemp Collars and Leashes. Hemp is a natural fiber that has been grown for the last 12,000 years in a variety of climate and soils without pesticides and herbicides. Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent, and more mildew-resistant than cotton; they're hypoallergenic, 100 percent biodegradable, odor resistant and anti-bacterial, too.

Eco-Friendly and Comfortable Dog Beds. Dogs sleep at least 12 hours a day if not more, so ensuring they have the best bed possible is a must (and will keep them off the couch!). Beds made from natural materials such as recycled cotton, feathers, wool or kapok fiber offer a healthy 'green' alternative to the synthetics found in many conventional pooch pads.

Of course, all this is for naught if you don't keep your home healthy. Pet are just as susceptible to indoor air pollution as people – maybe more so, since they spend so much time on the ground, where they can inhale fumes from floor cleaners and pick up dirt that's tracked in from outside. Use nontoxic cleansers on carpeting and furniture; both you and your pet will benefit.

Finally, don't despair over the two banes of any dog owner's existence: fleas, and poop. These suggestions for natural flea treatments, along with links to biodegradable poop bags, will help you make your best four-footed friend Mother Nature's friend, too. (Of course, you could do what I do, and flush my dog's doo down the toilet. Try it sometime. It's not nearly as gross as it sounds.)

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About Diane

Diane MacEachern is a mother of two kids, best-selling author and award-winning entrepreneur with a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. She founded Big Green Purse because she is passionate about sharing her experience and expertise with anyone who wants to live green and save money doing it.

Dear Diane,
Thanks so much for your book (which I love) and your web site. You are a
brilliant communicator, I much admire the way you communicate so much
vital information so effortlessly and clearly.
I try to visit your site every few days, and post stuff to my facebook
page etc.
I was struck by your section on pet care. I have had many companion
animals (current count 5 cats and a dog) and my oldest cat lived to be
22. One of my cats was diagnosed with kidney failure, a heart murmur and
hypothyroidism in her later years. (She lived to be 19.) I kept her
alive by treating her with herbs. Lemon balm and bugle weed are both
used to treat hyperthyroidism in cats by holistic vets. (My daughter is
a vet in NC who uses a lot of conventional medicine but also works with
herbs and acupuncture in her practice. Our vet here in Ohio is
conventional, but supportive– I am an herbalist myself so I use my own
herbal remedies for our animals.)
One thing you don’t address is pet food. Most of it is crap, and all of
it depends on lots of packaging.
I have made my own cat food since 1992, and my own dog food for about 6
years. There are lots of pluses to this. I know what goes into it (I
can’t afford organic meat, but I get the best conventional ground meat I
can, and buy it in bulk 10 pound tubes to avoid as much packaging as I
can.) Also in the growing season I grow the veggies that I put in the
food or get them at the local farmer’s market (we have a really good one
here with lots of growers who don’t use pesticides). This also enables
me to add supplements and herbs to the food to enhance my pets’ health.
And I’m not having to dispose of or recycle lots of cans and packaging.
When people complain about the time it takes I encourage them to try it
any way, if they only have one pet they can ften integrate cooking for
the pet with cooking for themselves.
The other plus is that of the 30 or so companion animals I have had in
my life, only 2 have had cancer, and most have lived to a ripe age, even
the ones I adopted as adults, or the ones who had health challenges when
I got them. Our current 40 pound Rottweiller mix is approaching 17 and
she can still climb the stairs to our bedroom on her own, and enjoys an
active life, despite her arthritic hips. I know that her diet has made
the difference because it was that that finally drove me to make her
food. We saw an immediate change for the better in a month’s time.
Thanks for your time! and for the work you do,
Bekki